Vancouver Island: Old Country Market

Our Restaurant Roundup Crew are sharing their favourite stops for ice cream and gelato. We suggest if the heat's too much that you sample one of these and find an ocean, a lake or a kiddie pool to dip your toes in and cool off!

Our Favourite Choices for Canadian Frozen Treats

Starting on the west coast this month...

Vancouver Island's Favourite Frozen Treats

Tucked into the edge of Coombs’ famous Old Country Market, their Ice Cream Shoppe has 69 different flavours of Vancouver Island ice cream and some non-traditional entertainment – live goats on their roof. I come for the Sea Salt Caramel ice cream piled high a waffle cone, but I stay to watch the goats on the grass-covered roof jockey for top position in tourist photographs. Sweet treats from a kitschy Central Vancouver Island spot that’s well worth a visit.

Vancouver’s Favourite Frozen Treats

My favorite place in the city for a frozen treats is Bella Gelateria in Downtown Vancouver. Bella makes some of the smoothest and inventive gelato and sorbetto flavors I've ever had and with the small batch creation the menu is changing constantly. We really are lucky here in Vancouver to have one Italy’s finest desserts made by someone as passionate about gelato as James from Bella Gelateria.

My choice for frozen treats is Leonidas, I recently fell in love with their Frozen Noisette. It's made with Leonidas' Gianduja (which is the same chocolate used in hedgehogs) frapped into frozen yogurt with hazelnuts. Being a huge fan of hazelnuts and chocolate, this is not only a dream but a healthier choice to cool off on a warm summer day!

Calgary’s Favourite Frozen Treats

While there's no shortage of ice cream shops in Calgary, my favourite spot is Lic's Ice Cream in Parkdale. It's been around for over 30 years and is the perfect place to grab a cone on a hot day. Or a cold day. Or... well... any day

I've never been big into slurpees or freezies, so when I want something refreshing and chilled for dessert, I go for Cucina's 'Reverse Affogato'. Their house-made espresso gelato packs a nice, coffee punch and when you pour some of the warm vanilla cream over top it is pretty much like heaven in your mouth

Toronto’s Favourite Frozen Treats

Ed's Real Scoop is always trying new recipes with store made products changing daily reflecting seasonal themes and flavours. You can expect to find really neat seasonal flavours such as Ginger, Strawberry Rhubarb and Blueberry Pie, just to name a few. My all-time favourite at Ed's Real Scoop is the Burnt Marshmallow - I recommend it to everybody! If you're not in the mood for a cone, the city's favourite ice cream joint also makes their own chocolate, candy, sundaes, floats, milkshakes, affogato and espresso shakes

Quebec City's Favourite Frozen Treats

Quebec City is blessed with many good ice cream shops, but the place to enjoy the city’s very best gelati is Tutto Gelato. They make over 60 varieties, including crowd favorites like pistacchio,nocciola (hazelnut), and bacio (milk chocolate and hazelnuts), or inventive flavors like avocado, Matcha green tea, figs and panna cotta. I love that they also make equally flavorful and sinful lactose-free (soy-based) varieties, that they serve homemade treats like cakes and cookies and that they make, of course, espresso-based drinks. It’s the best place to get your Italian sweet fix!

Be sure to check out Marie's full review of Tutto Gelato on Go Montreal

Big thanks to our entire Restaurant Roundup Crew for sharing their favourite spots for ice cream. They’ll all be back next month their top picks for food trucks or outdoor lunch spots!

Don’t see your city listed here? Do you review restaurants on your blog and are you an FBC Member? Then let us know! We’re still looking for folks in Kelowna, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Fredericton, St. John’s and Charlottetown. You can reach out to us through our Contact page.

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3 Comments

My favourite place for ice cream in the Ottawa area is at La Cigale in Old Chelsea, Quebec. Just a short drive from downtown. For the best gelato, it has to be Stella Luna Gelato Café in Old Ottawa South on Bank Street.

We recently tried gelato at Il Gelato Di Carlotta. It is a new place on Queen Street in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Lorenzo is in charge of the recipes and he is here from Italy to make sure the gelato is made just right. The hazelnut is to die for.